Where Does Michalek Fit In?

by GelatinousMutantCoconut on Apr 3, 2010 3:25 PM EDT

Milan Michalek is expected to return to the Ottawa Senators line-up soon. Possibly on Tuesday against the Florida Panthers. At the very latest, he should be back by the play-offs.

So the question is, where do you insert him into the line-up?

You just can't bump Peter Regin off the top line right now as he has been way too hot. He has developed more chemistry with Jason Spezza in the last 6 games or so than Michalek has all season.

So there is likely two options: Put him with Mike Fisher and Alexei Kovalev or with Chris Kelly and Chris Neil.

Both have their pros and cons:

His presence on a line with Fisher and Kovalev might infuse some energy and offense into a line that has struggled in that department as of late.

However, Milan might have the same chemistry issues with Alexei as he had with Spezza. Jason and Kovy are similar players.

However, The Watermelon Warrior and Mike might just have a ball using their speed and grit to crash the net, with Kovalev getting the puck to them.

Michalek is also a turnover machine: he often overskates on his rushes, turning over the puck. This has resulted in a -11 rating. Alexei is also known for turnovers as he often tries to do too much with the puck. Do we really want them both on the ice at the same time?

Kelly and Neil, on the other hand, would always have his back defensively, givingMilan more freedom.

Plus, Michalek's game is closer to Jarkko Ruutu's than that of Matt Cullen who currently plays with Fisher and Kovalev and would have to be bumped down should Michalek join that line. So he might fit on the Two Chris's line better.

But Cullen's defensive awareness would also fit well with Kelly and Neil.

Or of course there's always the option of forming a new line, with Matt joining Nick Foligno and Jesse Winchester or Zack Smith, allowing Milan to join Mike and Alexei as well as keeping the Ruutu, Kelly, Neil line that has been so effective intact.

What do you guys think?

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Michalek's best weapon has always been his speed

So I’d like to see him on a line with Fisher and Cullen, ideally. I don’t think Clouston will demote Kovalev, so I think Fisher and Kovalev is the pairing we’re going to see him with. Both of those guys can feed him the puck and he’s got the speed to get open, so it might be a blessing in disguise.

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by Mark Parisi on Apr 3, 2010 4:53 PM EDT reply actions

I think Kovalev, Fisher, and Michalek will be the line

although I worry about that line’s passing.

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by DarrenM on Apr 3, 2010 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, we're in total agreement on this

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by Mark Parisi on Apr 3, 2010 7:22 PM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn't be totally surprised if Kovalev got bumped down

Play ‘third’ line with Winchester and Foligno, maybe. He’s get his powerplay time, though, and probably moving up in the lineup here and there. It’s the kind of on-the-fly mixing-and-matching Clouston’s not afraid to do.

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by Peter Raaymakers on Apr 3, 2010 10:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Kovalev has so much potential at any moment to explode though

So I don’t think shifting him down a line is a move Clouston would entertain, save perhaps being in a losing situation in a playoff series or something.
Michalek has been struggling on the first line since the second month of the season.. only 12 assists all year prior to the knee incident. He and Fisher are complimentary in terms of styles of play, and I’d like to see the second line in action if Milan joins it. He sure beats having Shannon or Foligno on the left side. Boy oh boy, isn’t it nice to have that option now that Regin is a first liner!

by LeTigre on Apr 4, 2010 3:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Next Question:

What do the 3rd and 4 lines look like then?

Your pieces are Cullen, Kelly, Neil, Ruutu, Foligno, Winchester, Smith, Shannon, and Donovan.

Put them together!

by GelatinousMutantCoconut on Apr 4, 2010 4:34 PM EDT reply actions

That's tough....

I’m going with Shannon-Cullen-Foligno for my third line and Ruutu-Kelly-Neil for my fourth line.

I love the Kelly line. They are the epitome of a playoff line and should not be broken up for any reason. And while I’d like Z. Smith or Chum in the lineup, there’s just no room for them. Cullen is a good center and needs someone with speed to play with him. Shannon is one of the team’s fastest skaters and has playoff experience, so he gets the call. We already know Foligno meshes with Shannon well from last year’s best line, and Cullen is a similar center to Fisher but with better faceoff skills and on-ice vision. I could see that line playing very well together.

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by Mark Parisi on Apr 4, 2010 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Agree wholeheartedly with this.

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by DarrenM on Apr 4, 2010 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Trade possibly!

I was impressed early on with his scoring prowess, but he has been a non factor most games and maybe he should be traded in the offseason for some younger talent. He was supposed to be this banging and crashing type 30-35 goal scorer and he is pretty much invisible.

by SENSGUY1 on Apr 6, 2010 5:04 PM EDT reply actions